Payne City

As the elderly long-established remnants of the city’s days as a tight-knit community centered around the textile mill pass away, empty houses are bought and rented out by absentee owners.

“In the past 20 years, we’ve gone from 90 percent owner-occupied residences to a 25 percent owner-occupied neighborhood,” said Payne City Mayor Ken Thompson, who has lived in Payne City for 25 years and has been its mayor for seven.

“Houses here that go on the market don’t stay there long,” said Thompson, who works in construction. “But people making an investment in rental property are buying them, not people looking for a home.”

With a population of only about 169 and an area of a little more than 14 acres, Payne City’s influx of renters causes a noticeable change in its demographics.

For those who do not know, Payne City is completely surrounded by Macon. I’ve thought in recent years, given Macon’s problems, that Payne City has a prime opportunity to revitalize itself. What a cool thing it would be to see an influx of residents, restoration, and jobs in response to flailing leadership in the City of Macon.